Puntland warns of water shortages

Parts of the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeastern Somalia, are facing serious water shortages, the "acting president" of Puntland, Yusuf Haji Nur, told IRIN on Wednesday. The problem is most acute in the districts, of Bargal, Iskushuban, Qandala, Alula, all districts of Bari Region, and parts of the Nugal Region. "We had very little rain in the Gu season [April-June] and we have had even smaller Deyr rains [October-November] so far," he said. The livelihood of most of the population of Puntland, like the rest of Somalia, revolves around livestock, and if livestock, already weakened by lack of water and pasture, starts dying, "then we will have a serious crisis on our hands", warned Yusuf. He said the Puntland administration was calling on the international aid agencies to intervene before the situation turned into a catastrophe. Trucking water to the most affected districts should be a priority, Yusuf said.